Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 26, 2025
15:27
Construction of Vapor Chambers Used to Expose Mice to Alcohol During the Equivalent of all Three Trimesters of Human Development
Published on: July 13, 2014
14.6K
Alcohol Sales and Adverse Events during the Covid-19 Pandemic
Wid Yaseen1, Alex Kiss2,3, Justin Chau4
1Department of Medicine, University of Toronto.
NEJM Evidence
|February 25, 2025
Summary
During the COVID-19 pandemic, alcohol sales and related health issues like emergency visits, hospital admissions, and deaths significantly increased. This study examined these trends in Ontario, Canada, from 2016 to 2022.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Substance Abuse Research
Background:
- Alcohol sales rose at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Alcohol-related emergency department visits initially decreased.
- The long-term health impacts of these alcohol use patterns remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze trends in alcohol sales and alcohol-related adverse health events in Ontario, Canada.
- To compare alcohol consumption and related harms during the prepandemic and pandemic periods.
- To investigate the persistence and delayed effects of alcohol use patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional time series analysis was conducted using 6 years of data.
- Data included monthly alcohol sales, emergency department visits, hospital admissions, and toxicity deaths.
- Linear mixed models and Poisson regression were used to compare prepandemic and pandemic periods.
Main Results:
- Monthly alcohol sales increased by an average of CA$43.5 million during the pandemic.
- A 7% increase in the proportion of alcohol-related emergency department visits was observed.
- Average monthly alcohol-related hospital admissions rose by 191, and toxicity deaths by eight.
Conclusions:
- Both alcohol sales and alcohol-related adverse events, including hospital admissions and deaths, increased during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The findings indicate a significant rise in alcohol-related harms coinciding with increased alcohol consumption.
- Public health interventions may be needed to address the rise in alcohol-related issues.
Related Concept Videos
01:27CNS Depressants: Alcohol and Nicotine
166
Ethanol, a clear colorless alcohol, has been consumed by humans for millennia, but its effects on the body are far from benign. At lower doses, it induces decreased inhibitions and loquaciousness, leading to its social appeal. However, it can cause severe consequences at higher doses, such as coma and respiratory depression, due to its zero-order elimination kinetics. Chronic ethanol abuse wreaks havoc on multiple organ systems, particularly the CNS and the liver. Abrupt cessation of ethanol...
166
01:26Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques IV
24
Stress often leads to unhealthy habits like smoking, excessive drinking, and overeating, which offer short-term relief but ultimately increase long-term health risks. These behaviors create a cycle that temporarily lowers stress levels but can result in severe long-term health consequences. Breaking these habits is essential to reduce the risk of chronic diseases and improve overall well-being. Three primary changes that support better health include quitting smoking, reducing alcohol intake,...
24
01:30Enzyme Inhibition
77.7K
Inhibitors are molecules that reduce enzyme activity by binding to the enzyme. In a normally functioning cell, enzymes are regulated by a variety of inhibitors. Drugs and other toxins can also inhibit enzymes. Some inhibitors bind to the enzyme’s active site, while others inhibit enzymatic activity by binding to other sites on the protein structure.
77.7K
01:13Insufficient Sleep and Sleep Deprivation
125
Insufficient sleep refers to not getting the recommended amount of sleep for optimal functioning, even if it's just slightly less than needed. Sleep insufficiency may occur due to lifestyle choices, such as staying up late for social events or work, resulting in routinely getting less sleep than required. For example, consistently sleeping 6 hours when the body needs 7-9 hours can lead to cumulative effects on health and well-being.
Sleep deprivation is a more severe form of sleep loss...
Sleep deprivation is a more severe form of sleep loss...
125
01:30Stress and Mental Health
71
Chronic stress profoundly affects mental health, significantly influencing mood, behavior, and overall quality of life. Research closely links chronic stress with mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders. Ongoing exposure to stress can lead to physiological and psychological changes, initiating a cycle of emotional distress and maladaptive coping mechanisms.
Individuals with depression often experience challenges in both their personal and professional...
Individuals with depression often experience challenges in both their personal and professional...
71
01:24Substance Use Disorders Affecting Sleep
153
Substance use disorders involve a pattern of using drugs more extensively than intended and continuing use despite harmful consequences. This includes legal substances like alcohol and nicotine, as well as illegal drugs. These disorders often involve both physical and psychological dependence, reflecting compulsive use of substances that significantly alter thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, contributing to a major public health issue.
Understanding the concepts of physical dependence,...
Understanding the concepts of physical dependence,...
153